What causes fault code PKG-ERECT2 (Case Erector — Vacuum Pickup Failure)?

Vacuum cups worn or cracked — cannot form seal on case blank surface. Vacuum pump/generator performance degraded — insufficient vacuum level. Case blank surface coated or glossy — vacuum cups can't seal on slick material. Vacuum tubing cracked, kinked, or disconnected — air leak in the vacuum circuit. Case blank quality issue — inconsistent surface, die cut tabs interfering with cup seal

How do I fix fault code PKG-ERECT2?

Check vacuum level at the pickup cups — should pull at least 18 inches Hg for most applications. Inspect vacuum cups — replace any that are cracked, permanently deformed, or hard/brittle. Check all vacuum tubing from generator to cups — replace any that are kinked, cracked, or collapsed. Test vacuum generator — most Venturi generators require 60-80 PSI shop air supply. Try a different vacuum cup material — flat cups for smooth surfaces, bellows cups for textured or warped surfaces. Verify case blank specifications match the erector setup — correct size, flute direction, and surface treatment

Case Erector — Vacuum Pickup Failure

PKG-ERECT2

Case erector vacuum pickup system cannot reliably grab and erect case blanks. Blanks are being dropped, double-fed, or not opening to correct form.

medium packaging

packaging case erector vacuum pickup cup blank

Probable Causes (ranked)

Vacuum cups worn or cracked — cannot form seal on case blank surface
Vacuum pump/generator performance degraded — insufficient vacuum level
Case blank surface coated or glossy — vacuum cups can't seal on slick material
Vacuum tubing cracked, kinked, or disconnected — air leak in the vacuum circuit
Case blank quality issue — inconsistent surface, die cut tabs interfering with cup seal

Fix Steps

1 Check vacuum level at the pickup cups — should pull at least 18 inches Hg for most applications
2 Inspect vacuum cups — replace any that are cracked, permanently deformed, or hard/brittle
3 Check all vacuum tubing from generator to cups — replace any that are kinked, cracked, or collapsed
4 Test vacuum generator — most Venturi generators require 60-80 PSI shop air supply
5 Try a different vacuum cup material — flat cups for smooth surfaces, bellows cups for textured or warped surfaces
6 Verify case blank specifications match the erector setup — correct size, flute direction, and surface treatment

Field Trick

Keep a pack of spare vacuum cups in the machine's tool cabinet. Cups are consumable items that should be changed every 2-3 months on high-speed erectors. When a cup starts to crack, it doesn't fail completely — it just slowly loses vacuum until the erector becomes unreliable. Replace all cups at once on a schedule.

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